Is this a sign that my antidepressants have started to work?

Question

I have been on citalopram for coming up to 3 weeks now. Since being on them I have been constantly plagued by thoughts of hurting myself. I have even overdosed on ibuprofen (I was checked over in hospital for this one, I did take 64), st johns wort (did take 26, 300mg but didn't tell anybody) and have even taken 5 one-a-day allergy tablets (again didn't tell anybody about this one either). I have also cut myself, though they are mainly scratches, apart from the one on my wrist which is small.

Though I still feel low this morning, with not much energy I haven't thought about hurting myself at all. I have been quite impressed and cannot explain it. Is this a sign that te citalopram is beginning to work.

My gp knows about the ibuprofen overdose, I got quite flustered telling him about it. Now I have the minimum dose possible prescribed at a time. I was started off slowly, was on 10mg for the 1st 4 days and then went up to 20mg. My gp told me to continue taking them as normal.

I have been very irritable and snappy this morning. I see people from a crisis that come and visit me, also I am about to start counselling with a university counsellor.

I didn't start constantly thinking about how to hurt or make myself ill until after I started taking the citalopram. It plagues me, at times I cannot stop thinking about it. It is more about seeing damage, trying to make my physically sick than pain or anything like that.

I am worried about telling people about the st John wort, as I'd already been in hospital for blood tests after the ibuprofen overdose and did not want to go back. I am worried about what might happen to me if I was in hospital twice in the same week!

When I was in the A and E at the hospital I had to see the on call pychiatrist there. This person then refered to a crisis resolution team that comes to visit me at home. Have seen them twice already and will see them again on Tuesday.

The reason that I choose both st john wort and ibuprofen was because they were NOT supposed to be taken with the antidepressant that I'm on.

Answer 1

Anti depressants can take around three, or four weeks to really start working; if you're starting to very gradually feel better, that might very well mean the citalopram is kicking in.

But even so, you need to be talking to a therapist and/or a psychiatrist; you're clearly very depressed and troubled and need a bit of support during this difficult time. Then you can get on with leading an enjoyable life, free from all this anxiety and unhappiness!

Go back to your GP, and tell him you must have a referral to a psychiatrist; I'm surprised he hasn't organised this already, to be honest.

If, over the next week or so, you don't feel that you're improving, this may mean that you need a different dose of the Citalopram - do not alter the dose yourself without your doctor knowing. You might need a different anti depressant - this happens to a lot of us. Don't be discouraged if you have to try a few, it's trial and error for many people.

St John's Wort should never be taken if you're also taking anti depressants, the Pill, or various other medicines; it interacts with many things.

Best of luck with things.

Answer 2

Keep taking the tablets and give them a chance. Self harm is sometimes a feeling of worthlesness. All sorts of things can cause it but you can come out of the tunnel at the other side.Sadly it can take a long time, So hang on in there. Most of these pills take a month to have a real effect so this morning could be a sign of better things to come. Keep up the struggle and good luck

Answer 3

It does take a while for the meds to get into your system. sounds like they may indeed be starting to kick in. I hope and pray that you do not hurt yourself any more. Life can be beautiful and there are many people out there far worse than yourself. Be strong and try and stay positive. I wish you the best of luck in the future. p.s. I was on paxil for 3 years and I have been off them now for 7 years. I totally understand what you are going through. Keep your head high. You will be okay.

Answer 4

Try these links to the Mind website, the information is easy to read and understand:

Making sense of anti depressants
http://www.mind.org.uk/Information/Booklets/Making+sense/Making+sense+of+antidepressants.htm#ssris

Depression
http://www.mind.org.uk/Information/Booklets/Understanding/Understanding+depression.htm

Self harm
http://www.mind.org.uk/Information/Booklets/Understanding/Understanding+self-harm.htm

How to cope with suicidal feelings
http://www.mind.org.uk/Information/Booklets/Understanding/Understanding+self-harm.htm

St Johhns Wort
http://www.mind.org.uk/Information/Factsheets/Treatments+and+drugs/St+Johns+Wort++-+Hypericum+perforatum.htm

I would probably be a good idea for you to see if there is a mental health charity in your area, they are much more informal than the NHS and have a wide range of services that may be able to help you:

http://www.mind.org.uk/Mind+in+your+area/

I hope some of the information proves helpful to you.

I know you are scared of admitting to the second over dose in a week, but you really should inform you GP, he needs to be full awareness of all the facts so that he can assess how to treat you best. He will be understanding.

Please try and make good use of the support you have around you now.

Talk to them all about the effects your medication seems to be having on you, they should be able to advise you on whether these are normal side effects that usually wear off, or if it indicates that you need to change on to something more suitable for you.

You will only receive the best possible treatment from everyone involved if you are honest and open with them.

Take care and good luck

Answer 5

It takes a few weeks for citalopram to work but are you on anti psychotics? because it sounds like your going through some sort of psychosis,please seek help,because my daughters going through a similar situation and shes just been admitted to a psychiatric unit.

Answer 6

please tell your gp about this because otherwise you may do something really silly and kill yourself..
i would stop taking citalopram straight away,i was on them and they did nothing for me at all.
i started taking strong epa fish oil capsules and they work wonders and are really good for you.
also another way to beat depression is to have a complete makeover,as in changing the style of clothes you wear,your hair etc and try as hard as you can to get out of the house and start doing things...anythings better than hiding away from life,that only makes things worse.
if you wanna try the fish oil capsules,and i recommend that,try puraepa or vegepa from the internet....im on puraepa and am really feeling the benefits already,after 5 weeks @four a day.
good luck and smile :)

Answer 7

It usually takes about 2 weeks for anti-depressants to kick in and it is quite common for people to try to hurt themselves when they first start taking them. If you start wanting to hurt yourself again then go back to your GP and tell them. You could be on the wrong anti-depressant for you.

Answer 8

anti-depressants do take a bit of time to get into your system. it looks like its an SSRI (selective seretonin re-uptake inhibitor). your brain releases a chemical called seretonin (a nice chemical, makes you feel good). sometimes, the brain re-absorbs the seretonin and your body doesnt gat any. SSRIs stop the brain from re-absorbing it. if you feel better then, yes, your meds are working for you.

take care and Godspeed

x

Answer 9

It could be starting to kick in. Take it at the same time every day and don't miss a dose. Hope you feel better soon.

Answer 10

Sometimes antidepressants will make you feel lower before they start working. I wish this wasn't so, but you need to see your doc immediately and tell them this if it comes back. They may lower your dose and work you up gradually. You obviously want to get better or you wouldn't be on antidepressants so please be honest with your doc as to what is going on. Good luck!